pickett



' J. H. PICKETT. CORNER LOCKING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 10, 1895.) T (No Model.)

Patented Oct-1|, I898.

4 Sheets-Shet I.

m: NORRIS PETERS no. PNOTO-LIIKOUyIASHXNGTGN, a. c.

Patented cm. H, i898.

J.'H. PICKEJTT. CORNER LOCKING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 10, 1895.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No Model.)

No. 6|2,l|9. Patented Oct. II, I898.

I .IJH. PICKETT. CORNER LOCKING MACHINE.

(Application Mei-June 10, 1895.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

was

Tm: mums PETERS co. PHOYO-LITHO. WASHINGTON. n, c.

N0. 6|2,ll9. Patented Oct. ll, I898.-

J. H. PIGKETT.

BURNER LOOKING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 10, 1895.) (No Model) 4 Sh.eets--Shaet 4.

THE mums PETERS ca, ruorourna. wAsnmo'mu u. c.

UNIT D STATES [PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH II. PIOKETT, OFBALDXVINVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLESS. DICKINSON, OF SAME PLACE.

CORN ER-LOCKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,119, dated October1 1,1898.

Application filed June 10, 1895. Serial No. 552,359. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. PICKETT, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Baldwinville, in the town of Templeton, county of Worcester,and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Corner-Lockin g Machines,of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thesame, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of acorner-locking machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top View ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4represents an end view of the table by which the work is supported andalso an end View of the sliding frame upon which the table is mounted,with the mechanism for raising the same, the supporting-framework beingshown in sectional View. Fig. 5 represents the same view as shown inFig. 4, but shows in addition thereto one of the rails of the track uponwhich the reciprocating carriage moves, together with the device forraising and lowering the same. Fig. 6 represents a top view of one ofthe side gages, with the connected mechanism for adjusting the same.Fig. 7 represents the same view as shown in Fig. 6 with the cap removedand the hand-wheel shown in central sectional view. Fig. 8 represents anend view of one of the side gages and con nected actuating mechanismwhich is shown in top view in Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an end view of thehand-wheel with the indicator-arm re moved. Fig. 10 is an end View ofthe framework by which one of the side gages and its mechanism aresupported, the view being similar to that shown in Fig. 8, but with thehand-wheel removed. Fig. 11 is a detached view of the crank-shaft bywhich the side gage is moved. Fig. 12 represents in perspective view abox having its corners locked, illustrating the work performed by themachine. Fig. 13 represents a portion of one of the ends of the box.Fig. 14 represents a portion of one of the sides of the box. Fig. 15represents a top view of the work-su pportin g table. Fig. 16 is asectional view of the work-supporting table on line 16 16, Fig.15; andFig. 17 is a perspective view of the rectangular frame upon which thework supporting table is mounted.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts in the differentviews.

My invention relates to that class of machinery which is employed informing a series of teeth upon the edges of the pieces which form theends and sides of a wooden box and by which they are locked together, asrepresented in Figs. 12, 13, and 14;. and it consists in theconstruction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described, andspecifically pointed out in the annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes the framework of themachine, and 2 the driving-shaft, receiving its motion from a line-shaftor a counter-shaft through a driving-belt 3. The driving-shaft 2 carriesbeltpulleys 4 4, which drive the saw-arbor 5 by means of belts 6 6 andpulleys 7 7. The saws 8 consist of a gang or series of saws carried uponthe arbor 5, with the space between adjacent saws equal to the thicknessof the teeth a of the box end, as represented in Figs. 13 and 14, eachof the saws being of equal thickness, with the spaces 1) between theteeth formed on the box end, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

The machine is provided with a horizontal track consisting of rails 9 9,upon which the carriage 10 is moved back and forth by means of actuatingmechanism consisting of links 11 11, pivoted to the carriage and to theradial arms 12 12, which are carried upon a rocking shaft 13. The shaft13 is provided with radial arms 14 14, which are connected by links 1515 with the crank-arms 16 10, carried upon the rotating shaft 17.Attached to the shaft 17 is a sprocket-wheel18, connected by a chain 19with a sprocket-wheel 20, running loose upon the shaft 21, but capableof being connected with the shaft 21 by means of a sliding clutch 22,having a spline connection with the shaft 21 and operated by alever-handle 23 in the usual manner. Turnin g loosely upon the shaft 21are the sprocketwheels 24 and 25, each of which are capable of beingconnectedwith the shaft 21 by means of a sliding clutch 26, placedbetween the sprocket-wheels and having a spline connection with theshaft 21. The clutch 26 is moved to the right or left by means of alever-handle 27 in order to connect either one of the sprocket-wheels 24and 25 with the shaft 21. The sprockets 24 and 25 are driven by chainbelts 28 and 29 from the sprocketwheels 30 and 31, which are attached tothe hubs of a cone-pulley 32, said cone-pulley 32 and its attachedsprocket-wheels 30 and 31 running loosely upon the crank-shaft 17,between collars 30 and 31, which are attached to the shaft 17, and beingdriven bya belt 33 from a cone-pulley 34, attached to the driving-shaft2. The two sprocket-wheels 30 and 31 are of difierent sizes, so thesprocketwheels 24 and 25 are driven at different rates of speed, andconsequently the shaft 21 will be driven at different rates of speed, asit is connected with the sprocket 24 or the sprocket 25, thereby causingthe reciprocating carriage to move with a slower or faster speedcorresponding with the speed of the sprockets 24 and 25. When it isdesired to stop the motion of the carriage, the sliding clutch 22 isdisengaged from the sprocket-wheel 20. The cone-pulleys 32 and 34 areprovided with three steps, each allowing three changes in the speed ofthe sprocket-wheels and 31, and the clutch 26 allows two changes ofspeed to be effected instantly by the movement of the lever-handle 27,permitting the carriage 10 to be reciprocated at a speed correspondingwith the speed of the attendant to feed the work to the mechanism.

Held within the frame of the machine is a table 35. (Shown detached fromthe machine and in top and sectional views in Figs. 15 and 16.) The workis supported upon the table 35,with the end upon which the teeth are tobe cut resting upon the upper surface of the table, with the rear sideof the work resting against the vertical side of a pusher-plate upon itsupper edge, is held in place by dowelpins 44, projecting from thecorners of the lifting-frame and entering holes in a rectangular frame45, which is attached by screws 46 to the under side of the table-frame37, allowing the table 35 to be removed from the lifting-frame. Thevertical adjustment of the lifting-frame 43 and table 35 supportedthereon is accomplished by means of a shaft 47, Fig. 4, provided with ahand-wheel 48, by which the shaft is turned, and a worm 49, engaging theworm-gear on a shaft 51, extending across the machine and carrying apair of cams, one of which is shown at 52, Fig. 3, a similar cam beingplaced upon the opposite end of the shaft 51, but not shown in thedrawings. Levers 53, one of which is shown in Fig. 3, are pivoted at oneend to the fixed framework of the machine, with their free ends restingupon the peripheries, of the cams 52. Bearing upon the levers 53 areadjusting-screws 54, held in the lower edge of the ends. of thelifting-frame 43, so the rotation of the cams 52 will raise the freeends of the levers 53 and raise the lifting-frame 43 and table 35. V

The adjusting-screw 54, lever 53, and cam 52, (shown in Fig. 3,) areduplicated at the opposite end of thelifting-frame, but not shown,causing the lifting-frame to be raised simultaneously at each end. i

It is desirable to vary the position'of the pushing-plate relatively tothe surfaces of the table to suit the length of the box end or box sideand cause the pushing force to be applied to the work in the properplane, so the action of the hooked teeth of the saws will hold the workfirmly against the angle between the table and the pushing-plate, andthis adjustment is secured as follows:

The rails 9 9, which form the track for the reciprocating carriage 10,are provided with 36, carried by the carriage 10. The table 35 means fortheir vertical adjustment. Those consists of an outer rectangular frame37 and connected with one of the rails are shown in 5 an inner frame 38,attached to the frame 37 Fig. 5, and those connected with the other byscrews 39. The inner frame 38 is mortised rail are a duplicate. Theforward end of the to receive the ends of the bars 40, which are rail 9rests upon a plate 55, held against the held in place by the thin plates41, attached rigid frame of the machine by means of a bolt to the frame37 by screws 42.

The bars 40 pass between the saws 8, which project through the spacesbetween the bars 40 and above the upper surface of the table, a distanceequal to the depth of the teeth a, so that as the Work, with its lowerend resting upon the upper surface of the table 10, is pushed across thetable by the pusher-plate 36 and carried over the revolving saws 8 eachof the saws will cut one of the spaces 5 and form the teeth a equal inthickness to the spaces between the saws, the depth of the cutcorresponding to the height which the saws project above the uppersurface of the table.

The table 35 is supported on arectangular lifting-frame 43. (Representedin perspective View in Fig. 17.) The lifting-frame 43 is capable ofsliding vertically in the framework of the machine, and the table 35,which rests 56, which passes through a slot in the plate 55, so as toallow a sliding motion of the plate 55 on the bolt 56. The lower end ofthe plate 55 is provided with a flange 57 ,which rests upon the upperend of an adj usting-screw 58, which is held in the horizontal arm of anangle-plate 59, attached by a bolt 60 to the framework of the machine.By raising the adj usting-screw 58 the plate 55 and'the forward end ofthe rail 9 are raised, the rail turning upon the bolt 61, held in theframe of the machine. Raising the plate 55 imparts an angular movementto the rail 9 upon the bolt 61 as a pivot, and in order to allow therear end of the rail 9 to be correspondingly raised in order to maintainits upper surface in a horizontal plane the rear end of the rail ispivoted to one end of the link 62 by a bolt 63, and the opposite end ofthe link is pivoted to the frame by the bolt 61. The rear end of therail 9 overlaps the end of the link and carries the tightening-bolt 64,which passes through a slot 65 in the link, the slot 65 being curvedconcentrically with the center of the bolt 63. When the front end of therail has been raised, the upper surface is leveled byloosening the bolt64,thereby allowing the rear end of the rail to be correspondinglyraised and held in position by tightening the bolt 64.

The work to be cut is placed with its end resting upon the table andwith its side against thepushing-plate 36, and its position withreference to the cutting-saws is determined by means of the adjustablegage-plates 66 66, against which the edges of the work are placed as itis pushed across the table 35 and over the revolving saws. Thegage-plates 66 are provided on both sides of the machine in order toallow the work to be cut at one end while held against the gage-plateupon one side of the machine and then by turning the work end for endcutting the opposite end by holding it against the gage-plate upon theopposite side of the machine.

The gage-plates 66 and their connected adjusting mechanism areduplicated upon opposite sides of the machine, and therefore adescription of that upon one side will suffice for a description of theother. The gage-plate 66 presents a vertical wall to the edge of thework and is provided with a horizontal bar 67, sliding in ways on thecarriage 10, and

connected by a link 68 with a crank-pin 69,

carried in a disk 70, which is attached to a spindle 71, journaled inbearing on the carriage 10, the spindle 71 and horizontal bar 67 beingheld in position by a cap 7 2. Attached to the spindle 71 isahand-wheel 73, by which the spindle is rotated in order to slide thebar 67'and connected gage 66 to the right or left.

A spindle 74 is screwed into the end of the spindle 71 eccenirically toits axis, and an arm 75, capable of sliding longitudinally on thespindle 74, is held against the side of the hand-wheel by means of aspiral spring 76, interposed between the arm 75 and the head 77 of thespindle 74. The free end of the arm 7 carries a locking-pin 78, adaptedto pass through one of a series of holes 79 in the hand-wheel and enterone of a series of holes 80, formed in the framework of the carriage,the holes 79 in the hand-wheel being arranged in a circle concentricwith the spindle 74, upon which the arm 75 turns, and the holes in thecarriage being arranged in a spiral, so that when the locking-pin isinserted in the hole in the hand-wheel farthest from the center of thehand-wheel the hand-wheel can be rotated, so as to bring the locking-pinin alinement with the hole in the carriage farthest from the center ofthe spindle 71, each of the holes in the hand-wheel being brought over acorresponding hole in the carriage by the rotation of the hand-wheel,allowing the locking-pin 78 to extend through the handwheel into thecarriage and look the handwheel and spindle 74, thereby holding the sidegage 66 in the desired fixed position. The saws 8 have their teethhook-shaped or with the front or cutting edge of each, tooth out under,so that as the teeth of the saws engage the work they will draw the workdownward upon the surface of the table 35 and also press it rearwardagainst the pushing-plate 36, thereby obviating the necessity ofclamping the work upon the carriage as it is moved across the table andagainst the saws. V V V At the front of the machine are verticalguide-rods 81 81, attached at their upper and lower ends to theframework of the machine.

Sliding upon the guide-rods 81 is a footplate 82, upon which theoperator stands, which is adjustably attached to the guide rods 81 bymeans of the spring-actuated bolts 83 83, held in the lugs 84 on thefoot-plate S2 and entering holes 85 in the guide-rods 81.

The foot-plate 82 is provided with sleeves 86,which inclose and slideupon the rods 81,

allowing the foot-plate to be vertically adjusted, so. as to bringtheoperator at the proper height to permit the work to be convenientlyfed to the machine. Bolted to the frame of the machine is a guard 87,which prevents the sawdust from being thrown forward against theoperator and conducts it downward beneath the saws. In Figs. 13 and 14 Ihave shown a portion of the piece 01, forming one of the sides of awooden box, and a portion of the piece 6, forming one of the ends of thebox, and in Fig. 12 I have shown a perspective View of one corner of thecompleted box, showing the pieces d and e united by the interlocking ofthe teeth a and with the cover f in position with its edge held in thegroove The first space b next the edge is formed at dilferent distancesfrom the edge, that upon the upper edge of the piece 6, Fig. 14, beingformed flush with the edge, while that next the lower edge of the piece6, Fig. 14, is removed from the edge the thickness of one of the teetha, and sulficient space is left upon the upper edge of piece (1, Fig.13, to receive the groove 9, and the position of the piece to be cutrelatively to the end saw in the gang of saws is determined by varyingthe position of the side gages 66, The pieces d and e, as represented inFigs. 13 and 14, are of the proper thickness to have the side and end ofthe box; but in the operation of the machine I prefer to form the teethupon the end of a block of the proper length and width for a box end orside, but several times the thickness, and resawing the block after theteeth are cut.

The operation of my improved lockingmachine is as follows: Thefoot-plate S2 is adjusted vertically upon the guide-rods 81, so as tosupport the operator at the proper elevation to allow the work to beconveniently fed to the machine. The blocks to be out are then placed infront of the pusher-plate 36,

with its ends resting upon the table 35 and with the right-hand edge ofthe block against the side gage 36 upon the right-hand side of themachine. The block is placed in this position when the carriage 1O isatthe extreme limit of its movement toward the front of the machine, andat its next return movement the block is carried by the pusher-plate 36across the table 35 and over the revolving saws 8. The block is thenlifted by the operator and placed with its opposite end upon the table35 and against the pusher-plate 36 when at the limit of its forwardmovement and with the left-hand edge of the block resting against theleft-hand gage 66, when the next reciprocating movement of the carriagewill again carry the block across the table, forming the teeth in theopposite end of the block, the two side gages 66 having been previouslyadjusted, so as to cause the first space out in theblock to be formed atthe proper distance from the edge of the block. After the block has beenmoved the second time across vertically in the framework of the machineand supporting said table, levers pivoted at one end and bearing midwaytheir length against said lifting-frame and at opposite ends thereof,cams acting against the free ends of said levers to raise saidlifting-frame, and means for actuating said cams.

.2. In a corner-locking machine, the combination with a gang ofcutting-saws, of a worksupporting table, a lifting-frame supporting saidtable, levers pivoted at one end and havin g said lifting-framesupported midway their length, cams supporting the free ends of saidlevers, a shaft carrying said cams and having a worm gear and a shaftprovided with a worm engaging said Worm-gear and having a hand-wheel,substantially as described.

3. In a corner-locking machine, the combination with a gang ofcutting-saws, of a table upon which the work is supported, means forvertically adjusting said table with reference to said saws, areciprocating carriage, a pushing-plate held by said carriage,horizontal the table it is removed and a succeeding block placed inposition with its edge against the right-hand side gage 66 and theoperation repeated. The carriage 10 is reciprocated by the continuousrotation of the crank-shaft 17, and the insertion and removal of theblocks to be out are timed to correspond with the reciprocating motionof the carriage and the,

movement of the carriage can be varied in speed by the shifting of thebelt 33 upon the cone-pulleys 32 and 34: and can also be instantaneouslychanged by the operator by means of the hand-lever 27 and sliding clutch26, allowing the operator to connect the shaft 21 with either of thesprocket-wheels 24 or 25,

said carriage, rails 9, 9, forming a track for 7 said carriage, platesattached to the frame work and supporting one end of said rails, an adju sting-screw by which said plate is raised, for the purpose of raisingsaid rails, substantially as described.

5. In a corner-locking machine,tl1e combirunning at different rates ofspeed. The speed at which the carriage can be reciprocated will bedetermined by the skill and agility of the operator and also by the sizeof the blocks to be cut and the character of the material; but theadjustment of speed provided in the machine permits the carriage 10 tobe reciprocated at the highest rate of speed at which the operator iscapable of properly feeding the-work.

It. has been customary heretofore in machines of this class to providemeans for clamping the work down as it passed over the cuttin g-saws butsuch clamping mechanism has been rendered unnecessary in my machine byplacing the work in the angle formed by the horizontal table 35 and thevertical plane of the pusher-plate 36 and bv forming the teeth of thesaws hook-shaped, as described, and revolving the saws toward thepusherplate, so the pull of the teeth upon the work will be forwardtoward the pusher-plate and downward toward the table.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a corner-locking machine the combination with a gang ofcutting-saws, a horizontal table, a lifting-frame capable of slidingnation with a gang of saws, of a reciprocating carriage, a pushing-plateheld by said carriage, rails 9, 9, links 62 pivoted at one end to theframe of the machine and having their opposite ends adjustably attachedto one end of said rails, and means for raising the opposite ends ofsaid rails, substantially as described.

6. In a' OOIDGIJOGklDg machine, the combination with a reciprocatingcarriage, of a shaft 17 means for operatively connecting said shaft 17with said carriage, shaft 21 operatively connected with said shaft 17,sprocketwheels running loosely on said shaft 21, clutchin g mechanism bywhich either of said sprockets are operatively connected with said shaft21, sprocket-wheels 30 and 31, carried upon the hubs of an interveningcone-pulley 32, loosely mounted on the shaft 17, cone-pulley 32, adriving-shaft, a cone-pulley 3et carried by said driving-shaft andhaving a belt connectionwith said cone-pulley 32, whereby the speed ofsaid carriage is changed, substantially as described.

7. In a corner-locking machine, the combination with a gang ofcutting-saws and a reciprocating carriage carrying a push-plate, of anadjustable gage-plate 66, having a bar 67 sliding in ways in saidcarriage, a rotating spindle 71 operatively connected with said bars (37to move said gage-plate, a hand-Wheel carried by said spindle and meansfor locking said spindle against rotation, and holding said gage-platein its desired position, substantially as described.

8. In a corner-locking machine, the combination with a gang ofcutting-saws and a reciprocating carriage carrying a push-plate, of anadjustable gage-plate 66 having a bar 67 sliding in ways in saidcarriage, a spindle 7l operatively connected with said bar to move saidgage-plate, a hand-wheel 73, carried on said spindle, a spindle 74 heldin the end of the spindle 71 and eccentrically thereto, an arm 75capable of turning on said spindle 74, a locking-pin 78, held by thefree end of said arm said hand-wheel 7 3 having a series of holes 79,arranged concentrically to said spindle 74 to receive said locking-pin78 and said carriage having a series of holes 80 concentric with saidspindle 71, to receive said lockingpin 7 8, and hold said hand-Wheel 73from rotation, substantially as described.

9. In a corner-locking machine, the combination with a reciprocatingcarriage carrying a push-plate having a series of holes 80, of agage-plate 66 having a bar 67 sliding in ways in said carriage, aspindle 74 operatively con nected with said bar, a hand-wheel 7 8carried on said spindle and provided with a series of holes 7 9, aspindle 74 held in the end of said spindle 71 and concentricallythereto, an arm 75 capable of sliding and turning on said spindle 74, alocking-pin 78 held in the free end of said arm and a spring 76 held onsaid spindle 74, and acting against said arm to hold said locking-pin inone of the holes in said hand-wheel, substantially as described.

Dated this 6th day of June, 1895.

JOSEPH H. PIOKETT.

